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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. scale — in music
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lie — to recline
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pitch — completely
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chip — to eat
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. chip — for betting
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. chip — in a computer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com